Getting the Benefits of New Gas Stations Without Jeopardizing the Health of Mundelein Residents

Several months ago, residents of a Mundelein neighborhood heard that a gas station-convenience store was proposed near their homes.  They began researching whether there were reasons to be concerned about having a gas station-convenience store close to their homes.

The Mundelein residents learned that a number of scientific studies have documented an increased risk of cancer and other adverse health effects among those living within 500- to a 1,000-feet of a gas station.  The risk is due to benzene and other harmful compounds released from gasoline storage tank vents and at the pump.  

The residents also learned that neither local nor state laws require measures that can prevent the adverse health effects.  The only measure which is effective is to guide new gas stations to sites that are at least 500 feet from the nearest home.  The aerial below shows the many homes within 500- to 1,000-feet of this one proposed gas station.

These realizations prompted the residents to launch an effort to get the Village Board to require a minimum 500-foot public health safety zone for all new gas stations.  The residents formed the Mundelein Healthy Neighborhoods Alliance to lead this effort.

The Mundelein Zoning Ordinance allows gas stations in areas zoned commercial.    The official map showing zoning throughout Mundelein can be viewed at: https://www.mundelein.org/government/zoning-map. 

Following is a simplified, easier-to-view map. The areas outlined with pink-purple below are zoned commercial.  If you live within 500-feet of one of these areas then you are potentially at risk too since a gas station could be proposed within any of these areas.  Please join with us and many of your neighbors in signing our petition.  

In the petition we call upon the Mundelein Village Board to require that new gas stations will be at least 500 feet from a home.  This public health safety zone will not preclude new gas stations in our Village.  Instead it will guide new stations to locations where we can enjoy the benefits these businesses provide without jeopardizing the health of our neighbors.

Mundelein Healthy Neighborhoods Alliance

As stated above, knowledge of the health threat posed by gas stations prompted the residents to form the Mundelein Healthy Neighborhoods Alliance.  After all, if new gas stations threaten residents in one neighborhood then all Mundelein neighborhoods are also at risk.

The Alliance retained an attorney and Community & Environmental Defense Services (CEDS) to assist in forming a strategy to preserve all Mundelein neighborhoods.

The proposed gas station required a number of variances.  When the Village signaled that they might not approve the variances, the applicant put the gas station on hold – for now.  While area residents were elated by this victory, they knew that the gas station might be modified to eliminate the need for variances.  It is for this reason that the Alliance urgently seeks the support of all Mundelein residents in winning a 500-foot public health safety zone for all new gas stations.

The CEDS gas station-convenience store webpage provided much of the research cited here.  CEDS has also helped many communities across the U.S. resolve concerns about poorly planned gas stations.

Our goal is to provide the Village Board with the public support they need to update the Mundelein Zoning Regulations with a public health safety zone requirement for just new gas station, not existing ones.  This support must come from all Mundelein neighborhoods.  Please join with us in providing the Village Board with this support by signing our petition.

Our proposed health and safety zone will not preclude new gas stations in Mundelein.  Instead, it will guide new stations to locations where we can enjoy the benefits without exposing our neighbors to harmful emissions.

For further information contact Alliance co-chairs Edith Reese (847-502-2340) or Sara Larkin (847-275-4871).  You can also email us at: MundeleinNeighborhoodAlliance@gmail.com.

Health Effects: Is It Safe to Live Near a Gas Station?

A number of compounds injurious to human health are released from gas stations during vehicle fueling and from underground storage tank vents.  These harmful compounds include: benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, and xylene (BTEX).

Of these, benzene is the gasoline constituent most harmful to human health. Adverse health effects of benzene include cancer, anemia, increased susceptibility to infections, and low birth weight. According to the World Health Organization Guidelines for Indoor Air Quality, there is no safe level for benzene. As explained later, measures to reliably resolve these adverse health effects are not employed at new gas stations.

In 2005, the California Air Resources Board recommended a minimum 50- to 300-foot public health safety zone between new gas stations and “sensitive land uses such as residences, schools, daycare centers, playgrounds, or medical facilities.” The recommendation appeared in Air Quality and Land Use Handbook: A Community Health Perspective. The State of California is widely recognized as having some of the most effective air pollution control requirements in the nation. Yet even with California controls a minimum separation was still required to protect public health.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency echoed concerns about the health risk associated with gas station emissions in their School Siting Guidelines. The USEPA recommended screening – but not excluding – school sites for potential health risk when located within 1,000 feet of a gas station.

The safety zone distances were prompted by the growing body of research showing that adverse health effects extend further and further from gas stations. A seminal 2015 study contained the following summary regarding the health implications of living, working or learning near a gas station:

“Health effects of living near gas stations are not well understood. Adverse health impacts may be expected to be higher in metropolitan areas that are densely populated. Particularly affected are residents nearby gas stations who spend significant amounts of time at home as compared to those who leave their home for work because of the longer period of exposure. Similarly affected are individuals who spend time close to a gas station, e.g., in close by businesses or in the gas station itself. Of particular concern are children who, for example, live nearby, play nearby, or attend nearby schools, because children are more vulnerable to hydrocarbon exposure.”

A 2019 study of U.S. gas stations found that benzene emissions from underground gasoline storage tank vents were sufficiently high to constitute a health concern at a distance of up to 518-feet. Also, the researchers noted:

“emissions were 10 times higher than estimates used in setback regulations [like that in the California handbook] used to determine how close schools, playgrounds, and parks can be situated to the facilities [gas stations].”

Prior to the 2019 study it was thought that most of the benzene was released at the pump during fueling.

Control Measures Will Not Resolve Health Threat

The two most common control measures are Stage II Vapor Recovery and Onboard Refueling Vapor Recovery (ORVR).

A decade ago most gas pump nozzles were designed to capture vapors released during refueling. The vapors were then sent to the 10,000- to 20,000-gallon underground tanks where gasoline is stored. These Stage II vapor recovery systems were phased out beginning in 2012 as a result of the widespread use of Onboard Refueling Vapor Recovery (ORVR) systems.

As the name implies, Onboard Refueling Vapor Recovery systems are built into new cars to capture vapors during refueling which are then stored in canisters within the vehicle.

A study published in February, 2020, examined the effectiveness of Onboard Refueling Vapor Recovery systems. The researchers found that 88% of vehicles monitored released vapors during refueling despite the presence of Onboard Refueling Vapor Recovery systems.

The 2019 study cited previously addressed the release of benzene from underground gasoline storage tank vents. The 2019 study documented that the amount of benzene released was substantial and could be detected at a distance of up to 518 feet.
The unfortunate conclusion from these studies is that we cannot rely upon controls required for new gas stations and newer cars to resolve the health and safety threat to those who live, learn, or work in the vicinity. At this point physical distancing of 500 feet or more is the only measure that appears to resolve the public health and safety impact.

Minimum 500-Foot Public Health Safety Zone Needed

As noted above, current research documents that benzene can be detected at a distance of more than 500 feet from a gas station.  This is why we’re calling upon the Mundelein Village Board to adopt a minimum 500-foot public health safety zone between new gas station sites and residential zoned properties as well as schools, daycare centers, assisted living facilities, senior living establishments, and other sensitive uses.

So, please sign our petition urging the Village Board to require a minimum 500-foot public health safety zone between the gas station site and the nearest residential property.

Safety Zone Will Guide New Gas Stations To Lower-Impact Sites

The proposed 500-Foot Public Health Safety Zone will not preclude new gas stations within the Village.  We know this because we analyzed the zoning map and found that about half of the areas where gas stations are allowed (zoned commercial) are more than 500-feet from the nearest home.   Pictured below is the current Mundelein zoning map.  Commercially zoned areas are colored pink, red and reddish brown.

Commercially-zoned areas more than 500 feet from the nearest home are colored black in the following map.

Note that about half of the commercially-zoned areas are shaded black.  Therefore, future gas stations could be proposed in these areas without conflicting with the proposed 500-foot public health safety zone. 

Furthermore, it appears Mundelein may be oversupplied with gas stations.  In Lake County there is one gas station for every 3500 residents.  There’s one gas station for every 2,000 Mundelein residents.  This also indicates that adding a new gas station may cause one or more existing ones go out of business.